Switch-throw.



W. R. RUSH.

SWITCH THROW.

APPLICATION man NOV. 1. 191 I.

1,288,209. Patented Dec.17,1918.

INVENTOH M lka/I06? PM ATTORNEY UNITED WILLIAM R. RUSH, OF MULBERRY,KANSAS.

SWITCH-THROW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed November 7, 1917. Serial No. 200,780.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. RUSH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mulberry, in the county of Crawford and State of Kansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Throws, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention is a switch and has special reference to switches forrailroads, street car lines, coal mines and other places, and it hasbeen found very advantageous in use in coal mines where it is necessaryto switch the cars to different branches and when the cars return todirect the same out onto a main line.

One object of thisinvention is the production of a switch throw soconstructed as to normally retain the points in a set position, althoughallowing these points to be thrown to direct a train onto a desiredbranch, although when the points are released they will again return totheir normal positions.

Another object of this invention is the production of a switch throwwherein the points are yieldably retained in a set position,

thus allowing a train passing out onto the main line to throw the switchpoints to allow this movement although after the train has passed theswitch points these points will again return to their normal position toprovide a main line.

Another object of this invention is the production of a switch throwwherein a lever is connected to the connecting elements of the switchpoints, thus allowing these switch points to be manually operated fordirecting the train onto a desired track.

A still further object of this invention is a simple and eiiicientsupporting means for the manually operated lever as well as theconnection of the spring used for the operation of the switch points.

\Vith these and other objects in View, this invention consists ofcertain novel combination, construction, and arrangement, of parts, aswill be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

One practical form of construction and assembly will be hereinafterdescribed and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which a topass thereover, this 'Figure l is a top plan view of the switch throwand switch,

Fig. 2 is a section through the bridle bar,

illustrating the support for the manual lever and the spring inelevation, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the switch stand.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, it will be seen thatthe main rails 1 have diverging track portions 2 extending therefrom.The rails 3 and at diverge toward the rails 1 although terminating at adistance therefrom, as illustrated clearly in Fig. 1. It will be seenthat the rail 3 is parallel with one rail portion 2 while the rail 4 isparallel with the remaining rail portion 2, thus forming a pair ofbranches or it maybe that one is a branch and the other is a main line.It is of course obvious that the track may be arranged so as to producedifferent forms of switches or different extensions without departingfrom the spirit of the present invention, as the invention relates morespecifically to the throw and the manner in which the switch points arenormally retained in a yieldable set position.

The switch points 5 are pivotally secured as shown at 6 to the ends ofthe rails 3 and at and these switch points 5 have beveled end portions 7and are also provided with lugs 8. The bridle bar 9 is pivotally securedas indicated at 10 to the lugs 8 thus pivotally supporting the switchpoint 5 in parallel relation and at the same time connecting theseswitch points so as to be simultaneously shifted when necessary. Owingto the beveled construction of the end portion 7 of the switch point 5it will be seen that when the switch points are swung to one side or theother the beveled portion of one switch point will bear firmly againstthe respective rail portion 2 adjacent the junction of this rail portionwith the main rail 1, thus forming an even closure for allowing thewheel closure being clearly illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. l.

The switch stand comprises a base 11 having an upturned flange 12 forpurposes to be hereinafter set forth. The supporting plate 13 is boltedor otherwise secured at 14 to the will be noted by referringparticularly to Fig. 3 that the body portion of the cover or supportingplate 13 is elf-set at15. By this construction it will be noted that thebody of this supporting plate 13 will be spaced from the base plate 11.

The bell-crank lever 16, is pivoted upon the pivot 17 and projectsbetween the base plate 11 and the supporting plate 15, thus allowing thepivot to be steadied adjacent each end for pivotally and firmlysupporting the bell-crank lever 17. The projecting end of the bell-cranklever 17 is connected by a link 18 to the bridle bar 9, as shown clearlyinFig. 1. It is therefore obviousthat' as this bell-crank lever isshifted it will move the link 18 so as to shift the bridle bar 9 formoving the switch points in a desired manner.

The shifting lever comprises a priming section 19 nd an auxiliarysection 20. These sections 19 and 20 are placed apart throughout thegreater part of theirlength,

base 11, but it thus allowing' the lower end of the sections of thismanually operating and retaining lever to fit upon opposite sides of theupturned flange 12 of the baseplate 11. The pivot pin 21 is passedthrough the lower ends of the sections 19 and 20 of this operatlever andis also carried by the flange 12 for pivotally supporting this operatinglever. The section 20 of the operating lever is elf-set as indicated at22 so as to bear upon the body portion of the section 19. The rivets orother securing members 23 are passed through the off-set portions 22 ofthe section 20 and also through the sec tion 19f0r fixedly mounting thetwo sections upon each other. It will be noted however that the primarysection 19 projects above the upper end of the auxiliary section 20 andis provided with a handle portion 24.- for facilitatingthe shifting ofthis operating lever when necessary. It will further be noted that theauxiliary section 20is provided with outwardly extending lip 25 at itsupper end adjacent the off-set portion 22. The hook 26 is secured in anysuitable manner to the lip 25 and the coiled spring 27 is connected atone end to this hook 26. The opposite end of the coiled spring 27 isconnected to the book 28 supported by and secured to the upwardlyextending lip 29 of the, bell-crank lever 16.

When this switch throw and switch are in use, they willnormally retain aset position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Owing to theresiliency of the spring 27 it is obviousthis spring will be contractedto its shorter position. Therefore, the upturned lip 29 of thebell-crank lever 16 will be drawn toward the lip 25 of the operatinglever.

Thereiore, when the operating lever is swung to extend in asubstantially horizontal plane, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1,it is obvious the resiliency of the coiled spring 27 will cause thisspring to pull the lip 29 and the lever 26 to one side. As thebell-crank l ver is swung upon its pivot 17, it is obyious it will drawupon the bridle bar 9 to the link 18, thus causing theswitch points tobe moved into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The rail3 and the diverging portion 2 of one of the rails 1 may be designated asconstituting the main line. When the switch points are in the positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, it is obvious the main line will beclear. Accordingly, traffic may pass in either direction along the mainline. if however, the train is to pass out from the branch, indicated bythe track +1 and one of the diverging tracks 1, it is obvious the flangeof the first wheel will strike one of the switch points to swing thesame to the left,

inFigl, thus causing the branch to allow the train to pass therefrom tothe main line. This action of the switch points is permitted, owing tothe resiliency of the coiled spring 27. TVhen the operating lever isswung downwardly, the handle portion will swing downwardly below thehorizontal plane of the pivot pin 21 and for this reason when the coiledspring pulls u eon the lip 25 it will be in a plane below the plane ofthe pivot 21, thus preventing an off-center pull upon this lever whichwill prevent the same from accidentally rising. Accordingly when theswitch points are swung over by a train passing from the branch, theywill draw upon the bar of the link and will consequently swing thebell-crank lever which action of the bell crank lever will elongate thecoiled spring 27 and after the same has passed out from the branch theresiliency of the spring will cause the bell-crank lever to return tothe position indicated in dotted lines, such action on the part of the,bell crank lever drawing the engaging link 18 and the bar 19 to returnthe switch points to theposition indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, toagain cause the main line to be clear.

The switchinan may grip the ope ating lever and swing the sameupwardlyto the position indicated in the several figures of the drawing,whereby the. points will. be, moved to neutral position and as the leveris swung upwardly, the coiled spring will draw upon the lip of thebell-crank l'ver to the position indicated in full lines in Fig.1.

i i hen however, it is desired to switch the train onto the mgin line,the leverniey be swung to either side, according to the de siredmovement of the switcn point. fAs so n as the lever swings over anddownwardly, it will draw upon the coil spring to pull the bell-cranklever for properly swinging the switch point.

- vieldabl v retaining said switch This device is particularlyadvantageous where it is desired to allow the same to be actuated forswitching the train onto the branch, after which the lever may be swungin the opposite direction and at this time allow the main line to beopen, although yieldably retaining the switch points in a set position,thus permitting a train to pass out from the switch branch, simply byswitching the point over by the wheel flanges to accommodate thisaction. After such a train has passed out onto the main line, theresiliency of the coiled spring will then return the switch points to aset position to allow the main line to be maintained in an open or clearcondition.

As only one form of the present invention has been illustrated in theaccompanying drawing and described in the foregoing specification, it isobvious that many Changes may be made in the detail construction of thepresent invention without departing from the spirit of the invention asincluded in the device as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pivotallysupported switch point, a stand carried adjacent said switch point, abridle bar connected to said switch point, a bell-crank lever pivotallymounted upon said stand, means pivotally connecting said bell-cranklever to said bridle bar, an operating lever mounted upon said stand, acoiled spring connected to said bell-crank lever and adjustablyconnected to said lever, thus causing said operating lever to move thespring and shift said bell-crank lever and bridle bar to move the switchpoint to a set position, and said spring yieldably retaining said switchpoint in a set position.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pivotallysupported switch point, a stand carried adjacent said switch point, saidstand comprising a base having an upwardly extending flange at one end,an operating lever comprising a primary section and an auxiliary sectionconnected together, said sections being spaced apart at their lowerends, thus causing the lower ends to embrace said flange, meanspivotally connecting said lower ends to said flange, the upper end ofsaid auxiliary section terminating in a lip, resilient means connectedto said lip, means connected to said resilient means and to said switchpoint for pivoting the switch point as said lever is swung, and point ina set position.

In a device of the class described. the combination of a pivotallysupported switch point, a stand comprising a base having an upwardlyextending flange at one end, a supporting plate fixed upon said base andhaving an off-set portion a bell-crank lever 60 pivotally mounted uponsaid base and the ofi-set portion of said plate, means connecting saidbell-crank lever to said switch point, an operating lever pivotallymounted upon said flange, a lip extending from said operating lever, acoiled spring adjustably connecting said lip, and connected to saidbell-crank lever, thus causing the shifting of said operating lever tocause said coiled spring to shift the bellcrank lever, and thus impartmovement to said switch point for shifting the same, and said coiledspring retaining said switch point in a yieldable set position.

4:- In a device of the class described, the combination of a pivotallysupported switch point, a stand carried adjacent said switch point, saidstand comprising a base having an upwardly extending flange at one end,an operating lever comprising a primary section and an auxiliary sectionconnected together, said sections being spaced apart at their lowerends, thus causing the lower ends to embrace said flange, meanspivotally connecting said lower ends to said flange, the upper end ofsaid auxiliary section terminating in a lip, a spring adjustablyconnected to said lip, means connected to said spring and to said switchpoint for shifting said switch point as said lever is swung, and saidspring yieldably retaining said switch point in a set position.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pivotallysupported switch point, a stand comprising a base having an upwardlyextending flange at one end, a supporting plate fixed upon said base andhaving an olf-set portion, a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted betweensaid base and the off-set portion of said plate, means connecting saidbell-crank lever to said switch point, an operating lever pivotallymounted upon said flange, resilient means connected to said lever and tosaid bell-crank lever, thus causing the shifting of said operating leverto cause said coil spring to shift the bell-crank lever and thus impartmovement to the switch point for shifting the same, said coil springretaining said switch point in a yieldable set position.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pivotallysupported switch point, a stand comprising a base having an upwardlyextending flange at one end, a supporting plate fixed upon said base andhaving an off-set portion, a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted betweensaid base and the oft-set portion of said. plate. means connecting saidbell-crank lever to said switch point, an operating lever comprising aprimary section and an auxiliar section connected together, saidsections being spaced apart at their lower ends thus causing the lowerends to embrace said flange, means pivotally connecting said lower endsto said flange, the upper end of said auxiliary section termi- CJInating in a lip, and a coiled spring adjustably connected to said lipand to said bellcrank lever, thus causing the shifting of said operatinglever to shift said switch point, while said spring will yieldably holdsaid switch point in a set position.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. RUSH. WVitnesses GHAs. RUSSELL, H. S. FARMER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Estents,

Washington, D. C.

